Treasure Box Wednesday: Good Books on Snowy Days

The days have turned colder, and many of us across the U.S. have seen our first signs of those little white flakes. (No, no, not dandruff-- those other little white flakes.) And in times when the wind blusters and howls, and the cold winds cut through the jackets, there's nothing more appealing than thoughts of a comfy chair, a nice hot beverage, and a good book.

So since I didn't go thrifting this last week (no thrifting?!- GASP!), today I peered into the Treasure Box and found these lovely Victorian books to share with you.

I'd written a post on Victorian pulp fiction a while back (you can read that here if you're interested), but there's such a wide range of beautiful covers to share, one post really couldn't contain them.

I mean, just look at The Fortunes of Fifi...


With a title like that, you just know there's peril and adventure ahead for the plucky heroine! And look at the art nouveau curves to the cover, and the soft pastels. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Or this tiny little chapbook of "The House of Seven Gables" by Nathaniel Hawthorne...


The intricately done cover has a strikingly-detailed ingraving inset right into it. You can see that closer here...


And here-- call me "Ishmael!" Okay, so maybe literature has room for two Ishmael's...


I have yet to read this particular one, but I suspect it doesn't involve a white whale. If it did, it would probably be pictured behind the charming art of the lady with the letter on the cover. (And wouldn't she be startled!)

I've had this colorful copy of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage for a number of years...

The curving vined roses are always a real pleasure to see.

This copy of Maggie Miller picks up similar colors in its palette, with the red of her Gibson Girl tie, and the bright bonnet using all the vividness of the time...


Mary Holmes' Meadow Brook is another read ready to showcase the idealized girl of its time...


With her large hat, bouffant hairdo and trim suit, these girls were a standard around the turn-of-the-century in art and on household items.

This copy of Tales from Shakespeare involves an almost William Morris style pattern of pine cones, pine needles and spring daffodils....

It's a real shift of the seasons.

And lastly, we have this small children's booklet for Easter...

"The Secret to a Happy Day," it's called.

Here's hoping you uncover the secret to your own happy day, whatever it may be-- for this day, and throughout this week...

Perhaps it's a good book?

• If you missed Sunday's post sharing versatility, vavoom and very scary possibilities of vintage tuna recipes, click here.

See you for the next post on Sunday!